This was new. This was something he had never experienced before. Not in four years at Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer, Ala., not in four years at the University of Alabama, and not in his first four seasons with the Houston Texans.

Now linebacker DeMeco Ryans lay on the ground at Reliant Stadium, his left foot dangling like a weight on a ragged rubber band. Late in the first half of a game against Kansas City, Ryans had been playing pass coverage. When he planted his foot to jump, he couldn’t push off.

Ruptured Achilles’ tendon. Season over. Just like that.

“It was very tough,” said Ryans, who never had missed a football game because of an injury.

Surgery followed by months of rehabilitation have put some distance between Ryans and that Oct. 17 misfortune. He now can not only do straight-line running but also change-of-direction maneuvers and other drills.

“It’s going real well,” Ryans reported from Bessemer on Wednesday. “I’m feeling good. Not having any pain or issues while I’m running. I’m confident about where I am right now. In the next couple of months, I feel I’ll be all the way ready to go.”

The Texans will be happy to get their defensive linchpin back. The NFL’s 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year and a two-time Pro Bowl selection, Ryans led the team in tackles from his middle linebacker spot in each of his first three seasons. It was more than a coincidence that Houston’s 4-2 start last season veered into a 2-8 finish after Ryans went down.

Until the Achilles’ tendon tear, the worst injury Ryans had in the NFL was a torn posterior cruciate ligament he suffered on a Sunday late in the 2008 season. The Texans played again on the following Thursday night, and Ryans was out there with a brace on his knee.

Ryans missing from the lineup for the final nine and a half games last season was just as frustrating for the player as it was for the team. While his teammates carried on without him, Ryans was forced to sit at home and watch the games like any other fan.

“It was very tough. It felt weird,” Ryans said. “I’d know exactly what they were doing, where the defense should be playing on a particular call, and I can’t help them. It was a helpless feeling.”

Ryans had a tendency to do a lot of yelling at the TV. That didn’t always go over well with the other viewers. “I ended up watching a lot of games by myself,” he said.

Ryans has spent most of the offseason in Bessemer and located about 30 minutes east of Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama. The recent tornadoes which tore through Tuscaloosa didn’t hit Bessemer directly but did some damage to some surrounding areas.

“I know some people who lost their homes and their possessions,” Ryans said.

Ryans is among many high-profile AFC players who are rehabbing injuries this offseason. Here’s a look at six others.

Dallas Clark, TE, Colts

The injury: While attempting to make a diving catch of a Peyton Manning pass on Oct. 17 in Washington, Clark suffered a displaced tendon in his right wrist. It required surgery and Clark was lost for the rest of the season. In early February, Clark said he was still regaining full strength and flexibility in his wrist but was confident he would be ready for training camp.

What to expect in 2011: Although he will turn 32 in June, Clark still is an elite player and one of the more dangerous matchups for defenses down the seam. He is one of Manning’s top short and intermediate passing options. Even though Jacob Tamme was productive (67 catches for 631 yards and four touchdowns) after replacing him, Clark still is the Colts’ top playmaker at tight end.

Clark says: “(The rehab) has been outstanding. Everything we’ve thrown at it, it has responded. I could not be happier about it.”

Austin Collie, WR, Colts

The injury: After suffering a concussion in a Dec. 19 game against Jacksonville -- his second of the season -- Collie was placed on I.R. He has participated in a full offseason workout program, including passing drills with Manning, and hasn’t had any repercussions. He is expected to be ready when training camp begins.

What to expect in 2011: In his first two seasons, Collie has emerged as a productive receiver with 118 catches for 1,325 yards and 15 TDs in 25 games. However, there will be concerns every time he gets hit. If he can prove that the concussions are a thing of the past, he should continue to be one of Manning’s top targets.

Aaron Kampman, DE, Jaguars

The injury: Kampman tore the ACL in his right knee during practice midway through the season, marking the second year in a row he had suffered the same injury (in ’09, it was his left knee). He has been rehabbing in Jacksonville and his native Iowa. The Jaguars probably will limit Kampman to one training camp practice during two-a-days, a routine they followed last year.

What to expect in 2011: Kampman is the one defensive lineman who doesn’t come out of games, so his continued presence is a must if the Jags are going to show improvement. The team didn’t take a pass rusher in the draft, so it will be imperative for Kampman to continue his disruptive style of play.

Jaguars G.M. Gene Smith says: “Until that first ACL, he was a durable guy. If anybody can come back and play like he was never hurt, it’s Kampman.”

Jim Leonhard, SS, Jets

The injury: Leonhard suffered a fractured right tibia on Dec. 3 when he collided with wide receiver Patrick Turner during practice. He has been working out and running, and he recently tweeted that an “X-ray came back clean,” so the fracture apparently has healed. Leonhard is expected to be ready whenever training camp opens.

What to expect in 2011: The Jets believe Leonhard will be able to step back into the lineup immediately as the starting strong safety and leader of the secondary. But the team likely won’t risk Leonhard suffering another injury by having him return to his role as the primary punt returner. There are other players who can fulfill that duty.

Troy Polamalu, SS, Steelers

The injury: Although the team never revealed the exact nature of it, Polamalu is believed to have suffered a slight tear of his Achilles’ tendon while returning an interception for a touchdown in a Dec. 12 game against Cincinnati. Polamalu has been rehabbing in Los Angeles under the care of an orthopedic surgeon friendly with Pittsburgh’s medical staff, and he reportedly is progressing on schedule. He will not need surgery, and he is expected to be fully recovered when training camp opens.

What to expect in 2011: When healthy, Polamalu remains a game-changing player (he was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year last season). But several injuries over the past couple of years have diminished his performance, as it did during the 2010 postseason. At this point, there’s no reason for the Steelers to doubt that he won’t be a dominating player again.

Coach Mike Tomlin says: “I haven’t talked to Troy that much, and that’s not out of the ordinary this time of year. He might me in a monastery.”

Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos

The injury: Thomas tore his Achilles’ tendon while running routes at Georgia Tech, his alma mater, in February. After undergoing surgery, he began a rehab process that is expected to take six to nine months. If training camp opens on time, Thomas probably will be limited to individual drills.

What to expect in 2011: Staying healthy has been a problem for Thomas, a first-round draft pick in 2010, who likely will begin the season on the physically unable to perform list. He has shown flashes of talent — he caught 22 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns last year — but nagging injuries limited him to 10 games.

G.M. Brian Xanders says: “Our trainers and doctors anticipate he’s going to be healthy in Weeks 4, 5 or 6. So we feel good about Demaryius playing and recovering from the injury.”